As the stillness of winter passes us by, the emergence of spring sees us pedal past trees in our local areas, now dusted in hazes of pink and white. With branches bare from the previous season until just recently, they are now gradually graced with growing clusters of much-loved blossom flowers once more…
Without the green foliage of summertime, there’s something about this undistracting composition of just branch and flower together which allows for an appreciation of the deep mahogany-coloured wood, so rugged in the irregularity of it’s growth, and the contrasting scatterings of their tiny flowers which, once in bloom, become as delicate as tissue paper…
…Offering so much excitement for the nature lovers and flower fans of the world, as the blossoms begin to bloom, allotmenteers begin to cycle down to the plot more frequently to get ready for the growing season ahead…
Cycling to work and the shops at this time of year, you find yourself on permanent ‘blossom watch’ as the prospect of cycling through drifts of petals carrying on a mild spring breeze appears on the horizon again...
Excitement also fills the air in the month of March as upcoming events begin to be publicised for International Women’s Day and World Book Day, while people also begin to make arrangements for Mother’s Day. Soon it becomes a month filled with visits to heritage sites symbolic of iconic female trailblazers, where the period costumes transport guests back in time to give a taster of the lives these women once had (but more on this later :-) )...
As a month which looks to celebrate the contributions of women in our society and families, March becomes the opportune moment to combine these celebrations with the start of a season all about those tiny pink and white flowers…
Here at Blooms & Bicycles, we’re on a mission to promote Blossom Season each year by offering ideas and inspiration on how to go about celebrating this incredibly beautiful time of year which could easily pass us by unnoticed...
So as we pedal into this wonderful month, here’s...
Four Ways to Combine the Celebrations of International Women’s Day, Mother’s Day and Blossom Season For a Very Fulfilling Cycle Pretty March Time…
1. Arrange a Trip by Bicycle to Elizabeth Gaskell's House in Manchester With the Women You Treasure
Having paid a visit* during a bicycle adventure of our own in the last week, this is definitely something we would recommend! Ran by a group of lovely volunteers, they are all passionate in equal measure about preserving Elizabeth's legacy, whilst also being Pashley cycling fans!
What's also an added bonus is the how one of Manchester's new Bee Network cycle lanes runs right in front of the house and some very secure bike locking facilities are available in the courtyard off to the righthand side of the house as you come through the main entrance...
Guided tours around the house are offered each day by this very friendly team, who have painstakingly researched old records, letter archives and local history to piece together everything from how Elizabeth decorated the interior of the house, to the notable authors she kept the company of during their visits and the flowers she planted in the gardens...
As you are led through the different rooms they do such a fantastic job of bringing it to life, as you begin to feel the presence of this literary giant...
You can almost imagine what conversations might have been held between the walls, as Charlotte Bronte talked to Elizabeth about the writing works of her sisters and Elizabeth to Charlotte about the challenges of juggling home life with a career in literature- something now spoken about during the tour, as it is well documented in Elizabeth's letters...
During our visit I left Roberta and Bea to have their lunchbreak in the tearoom at the house while I ran some errands, only to find two Victorian apparitions on return!
It turned out that a full wardrobe rail of Victorian costumes is kept in the house and they had been having a whale of a time as members of staff helped them dress up in different outfits!
With so much more to cover on this bicycle day out, we will soon be following up with a separate blog article fully dedicated to what we discovered during our adventures. So watch this space for more coming soon...
2. Attend a Women’s Group Ride and Meet Other Like-Minded People Who Also Love to Pedal Through Life and Embrace the Outdoors
With organisations like Fancy Women Bike Ride* and Lady Pedal* in Manchester, there are growing communities of women championing the women’s cycling movement all over the world in recent years. From the lycra cladded racer cyclists to those who embrace flowing dress while cruising on a sit up and beg style bicycle, there are so many organised groups out there who are ready to welcome you into our community, whichever type of cycling expresses you most.
3. Pitch Up Under A Blossom Tree During a Bicycle Escapade
Whether heading out as a group or just on your own, this pastime is all about focusing on the beauty of the flowers...
…So park up under the tree, throw down your picnic blanket and enjoy a packed lunch under the canopy of pink and white confetti to really savour the moment… And take it from me, your heart will skip a beat at least once as the petals fall silently around you…
Either make it yourself or take a look at the options in our Blossom Season Flower Collection, which will be phased into our Florist Parlour over the next few weeks, which can be viewed here...
In the Cycle Pretty Boutique
Cycling in style as the season of spring emerges couldn’t be easier with this easy cycling tote in different shades of blossom pinks...
Made with fully recycled vegan leather, it comes with both an easy-grab handle plus a removable cross-body strap for all your bicycle adventures...
Internal zipped pockets also keep valuables safe while the magnetic clasped flap makes it easy to use for life on the go.
From March's Book Corner Club…
From our bookshelf collection of Canterbury Classics this month, Roberta brings to you a review Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights...
'This month, we delve into the passionate and enigmatic world of Emily Brontë, with a focus on her timeless masterpiece, Wuthering Heights...
The Brontë household is one that has long piqued the curiosity of book readers, with sisters Charlotte, Emily, and Anne each etching their names into the tapestry of English literature. First published in 1847 under the gender-ambiguous pen name Ellis Bell, Wuthering Heights was Emily’s first and only novel; it is renowned as one of the greatest novels in English literature...
“I've dreamt in my life dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas: they've gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the colour of my mind.”
Emily’s solitary nature created an aura of mystery surrounding her name. It is fascinating to note that much of what we know about Emily's life was derived from Elizabeth Gaskell's biography of her sister Charlotte; the portrait that emerges from these accounts is that of a woman both timid and fiercely independent, possessing a profound empathy for nature, animals, and the sweeping Yorkshire moors that she called home...
"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."
Her talent for wild, untamed emotions translates directly into Wuthering Heights – the Gothic tale of all-consuming love between Cathy and Heathcliff. It is almost evil to spoil its charm.
From many, it is considered one of the greatest love stories ever written, and yet it is not nearly your typical romance. Upon publication, it shocked readers for its portrayal of violence, amoral and selfish characters, mental and physical abuse, and its comments on class and religion.
The Yorkshire moors provide a backdrop to a story of wild passions, eternal love, cruelty and revenge, dotted with precious moments of beauty. In the words of Virginia Woolf:
“There is no "I" in Wuthering Heights. There is love, but it is not the love of men and women. Emily was inspired by some more general conception. She looked out upon a world cleft into gigantic disorder and felt within her the power to unite it in a book. That gigantic ambition is to be felt throughout the novel – a struggle, half thwarted but of superb conviction, to say something through the mouths of her characters which is not merely "I love" or "I hate", but "we, the whole human race" and "you, the eternal powers..." the sentence remains unfinished.”
Gazing upon the very table where Elizabeth Gaskell once penned her words – situated in the dining room, facing the window looking into the garden – we are struck by the fact that these women crafted their literary works without the luxury of a room of their own...
It makes us grateful to have the chance to hop on our bicycles and escape into our local corner of nature, to read or even write…
Riding the wave of International Women's Day, we invite you to join us on a literary journey through the pages of Wuthering Heights. Rent a copy from our Canterbury Classics collection and pedal through the landscapes of Brontë's imagination.'
Have a lovely March everyone! Hope you all enjoy watching the blossoms bloom as Mother Nature brings everything back to life :-)
See you in April!
*For more information on Elizabeth Gaskell's House, please visit:
Registered alcohol licence number 249132.